Support for third rails.



W. B. POTTER. SUPPORT FOR THIRD RAILS. uruoumx FILED 001'. 21, 1905.

1,008,560, Patenu la Nov; 14,1911.

I BKBE'IB-SKEET 1.

WITNESSES. I WENTOR.

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' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM B. POTTER, 0F SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GI NERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SUPPORT FOR THIRD RAILS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patenter 1 Nov. 14, 1911.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. Porrnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Supports for Third Rails, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to electric railways and more particularly to means for supporting the third-rail in operative relation to the track.

When the third-rail is carried by brackets mounted on the railway ties the depression of the ties incident to the passage of cars or trains of course produces a like depression of the third-rail at the points where the brackets are secured to the ties. This gives rise to useless strains in the fastenings for the third-rail, if the connection between the thirdrail and the supporting ties is rigid; and, since the third-rail must be insulated from the ties in some manner, the fastenings are not well adapted to withstand abnormal stresses or strains.

The object of the present invention is to provide a support for the third-rail which shall be simple in construction and durable in character and which shall permit free dom of limited movement of the rail relatively to its support as occasion may reuire. To the above end I. suspend the t ird-rail loosely from a series of brackets situated at proper intervals and preferably secured directly to the ties. The loose suspension is preferably obtained by means of yokes firmly secured to but insulated from the third-rail and hung loosely upon the brackets or upon arms of the brackets. In this way the depression or tendency to de pression of the third-rail through the depression of a supporting tie and the abnormal strains subsequent thereto is obviated.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a cross-section through a third rail having a contact face on its under side and a supporting bracket arranged in accordance with the resent invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation o the same parts; and Fig. 3 is an elevation of a third-rail supported and protected in accordance with my invention.

Reference being had to the drawing, 1 indicates a third-rail which may have any usual or desired form, tiat illustrated belng an ordinary inverted T-rail; 2 is a rai1- way he upon which is m unted the bracket or standard 3, which for] is the support for the third-rail, the bracke; being preferably secured directly to the t e. At the top of the bracket is a laterall projecting flange 4 beneath which the third-rail is suspended by means of the yoke 5. The yoke rests loosely upon the top of tile flange and is so proportioned that a sui icient distance is left between the top of the third-rail and the lower side of the flal .ge l to accommodate any ordinary depr :ssion which may take place at the tie upon which the bracket is located. When such a depression occurs, the rail may remain subsi antially in its normal position and be wholly supported from adjacent brackets while 1 he bracket travels downward, to rise agair after the car or train passes and allows t] e tie to resume its normal-position.

The yoke is preferably insulated from the rail, thereby permitting n etallie engagement between the yoke and th: bracket and also allowing the bracket to as rigidly and securely supported by being fastened directly to the tie without the interposition of insulating material. A preferred form of yoke and means for instlatin it from the rail is illustrated in the drawing, the yoke consisting of two similar members 6 having transverse portions 7 ad:.pted to rest upon the flange of the bracket and arms 8 extending downwardly from tie transverse portions for engaging the sail. Between the rail and the arms 8 are arranged heavy insulators 9, preferably she ped so as to fit between the head and flange of the rail or two heads as the case may to, and, if desired, covered with caps or sh aathings 10 which serve to protect and stre: lgthen them. The parts are so proportionad that when the members 6 are fastened together, as by means of transverse bolts 11, the arms 8 are made to clamp the IDS! lators in position against the rail. In case of damage to one of the yokes or to an i1 .sulator, it is only necessary to remove the bolts 11 in order to take the yoke apart and remove the damaged member. Laterall '-projecting shoulders 12 are provided on tl e sides of a bracket for the purpose of receiving the ends of wooden covers or shields 13 of any usual or desired construction whi :h may be secured by bolts 14 as shown. These covers or shields extend from one bracket to the next and protect the rail throughout its length.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is,

1. In an electric railway, a third-rail, a bracket having a laterally-extending member, and a yoke surrounding said member find engaging said rail beneath said mem- 2. In an electric railway, a third-rail, a bracket having a laterally-extending member, and a yoke rigidly secured to said rail and loosely hung from said member.

3. In an electric railway, a third-rail, a bracket having a laterally-extending membeer, and a yoke connected to and insulated from said rail loosely hung from said mem ber.

4. In an electric railway, a third-rail, a bracket secured to a railway tie and having a member extending in the direction of the tie, and a yoke loosely suspending said rail from said member, said yoke having a section of insulating material.

5. In an electric railway, a third-rail, a supporting bracket, a two-piece yoke hung upon a portion of said bracket, insulators between said yoke and said rail, and means for securing the portions of said yoke together and clamping said insulators between the yoke and the rail.

6. In an electric railway, a bracket, a twopiece yoke resting loosely upon a portion of said bracket, a third-rail arranged. beneath said port-ion, insulators between said yoke and said rail, and a transverse bolt arranged to secure the portions of said yoke together and to clamp the insulators between the yoke and the rail.

7. In an electric railway, a third-rail, brackets secured at intervals along the roadway, clamps loosely mounted on said brackets and secured to but insulated from the third-rail and a protective covering for the third-rail extending from bracket to bracket and supported thereby.

8. In an electric railway, a third-rail, brackets secured at intervals along the roadway, clamps loosely mounted on said brackets, blocks of insulating material interposed between said clamps and the third-rail, and a protective covering of insulating material secured to and extending between said brackets.

9. In an electric railway, the means for supporting and protecting a third rail comprising supporting brackets overhanging said rail, insulating blocks adapted to engage said rail, devices for supporting said blocks having loose engagement with said brackets to permit limited movement of the brackets relative to the rail, and a protective covering for said rail extending from bracket to bracket and supported thereby.

10. In an electric railway, a third-rail, a series of brackets each having a laterallyextending member, a yoke loosely hung on said member, blocks of insulating material between said yoke and said rail, and a protective covering of insulating'material extending from bracket to bracket and supported thereby.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 18th day of October, 1905.

WILLIAM B. POTTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for flve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. O. 

